


Roads Not Taken

by Oddities1991



Category: Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-29
Updated: 2012-04-29
Packaged: 2017-11-04 12:39:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/393935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oddities1991/pseuds/Oddities1991
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Caroline and Stefan live a domestic life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Stuck In Reverse

She wasn’t sure when time stopped having meaning. It wasn’t something that had ever occurred to her as she began to change. Now, years later, as she stands outside her home, the vampire peers at the old broken wood and she wonders. Heels click on the ground but she doesn’t step inside. There is no barrier but it isn’t home anymore.

She thinks that it should hurt, being home. It doesn’t, not really. A hand is on her shoulder and Caroline knows who it is without looking. It’s always him as if it always had been. She doesn’t take a breath though she feels like she should. They are intruders here. She turns away from the smell of death and decay. She doesn’t want to see inside. She just wanted to see.

Her smile isn’t quite all the way there. Generations have passed without them. Matt has children, now, she knows. Grandchildren, even. She’s so old and young at the same time. Forever. She thinks that its probably too early to start mourning the ability to age and hey, she doesn’t have to worry about wrinkles.

Stefan isn’t smiling, not the way she wants him to. It’s small and twisted into what she knows is a concerned frown. He squeezes her shoulder and she takes his hand, leads him away from the broken building. He nods at her, as if knowing what she’s thinking. They had to go or they were going to be late. Her heels click. Dread fills. Wading through rapidly drying cement, each step heavier than the last. In that moment, a trip down memory lane was the least of their worries.


	2. Steps (Not) Taken

She slumps in her chair, a hand palmed under her chin and elbow on the table. Caroline lifts the pawn between her fingers with her free hand and pushes Stefan’s out of the way. He gave her the move – he always does. She was never much into Chess but Stefan seems to think that if he can stuff enough lessons down her throat, she’ll ignore that look in his eyes. She lets him pretend that it’s working though they both know it’s not.

Looking the other vampire straight in the eye, Caroline frowns, sighing as she sets her pawn down. “I don’t see why we can’t just skip the game and go to the movie.” She says, “I mean, I know it’s a chick flick but we don’t have to go to it. We can go to that new movie – what’s it called? The one with the explosions?”

Stefan cocks his head at her, smiling. She gives him her own sheepish grin because they both know that he’s not much into explosions. Sure, they can be fun in their own right, but Stefan likes to watch the relationships.

“One game, Caroline,” Stefan says and she hears the amusement in his voice. Rolls her eyes. Somehow, she always feels like a child with him. She knows that she is, but it still doesn’t chase away the irritation. She wonders, sometimes, if he’ll ever see her as anything more.

“But its boring.” Caroline pouts at the boy –man – vampire and her voice raises a bit into a whine. “And besides. We have plenty of time for Chess. Movies come and go, Stefan. And we’re going to miss it.”

Stefan shakes his head again, making his move and grins at her. She looks down, swears and rolls her eyes again. She doesn’t care, really. Its just a stupid game. Though sometimes, she wishes she could win. Just once. Scooting her chair back, she doesn’t give him time to utter the phrase 'check mate' before she’s moving out the door. He grabs his coat, then hers and meets her. They don’t need them but in the December snow, it would look out of place to be without.

When they finally get to the movie, Stefan has that look in his eyes again. The one that tells her that as he stares at the screen, it’s Elena he sees.

**Author's Note:**

> Written December 17th, 2010.


End file.
